The Houston Department of Health receives an additional 9,000 doses of the vaccine; new appointments scheduled in minutes

HOUSTON – The Houston Department of Health said 1,600 new consultations for the COVID-19 vaccine were scheduled in five minutes on Friday afternoon. The department said it received 9,000 additional doses of the vaccine on Friday.

The new appointments went to the department’s new drive-thru vaccination site at Delmar Stadium, operated by the United Memorial Medical Center, which is due to open on Monday.

Authorities said people who show up without confirmed commitments will be rejected.

The department also plans to transfer 800 doses to other providers, vaccinate approximately 900 people who left Minute Maid Park last Saturday and fulfill existing commitments at the Bayou City Event Center, its health centers and multi-service centers.

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“We are pleased to operate two mass vaccination stations next week, one in the north of the city and one on the south side. These two locations make the vaccine more accessible to everyone, complementing the health department and health department multiservice centers, ”said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “As we get more vaccines, we will expand partnerships with federally qualified pharmacies and health centers to ensure that the vaccine is available in the most vulnerable communities and deploy mobile attack teams as needed.”

The department plans to announce new appointment opportunities weekly, based on the offer.

People can learn about new appointment opportunities by email, text message, voice call or mobile app push notification by registering for AlertHouston’s HoustonRecovers subscription at AlertHouston.org.

Appointments are based on vaccine availability and can be adjusted based on the department’s supply.

On January 21, the department administered a total of 29,751 doses of the vaccine.

People who received the first dose of the vaccine through the health department will be contacted about scheduling the second dose before the recommended deadline. Check your voicemail, text messages and emails frequently for information.

The department currently supplies the Modern vaccine. The second dose of Moderna is recommended 28 days after the first dose.

The updated CDC guidance states that “the second dose should be administered as close as possible to the recommended interval. However, if adherence to the recommended interval is not feasible, the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines can be scheduled for administration within 6 weeks (42 days) after the first dose. If the second dose is administered beyond these intervals, there is no need to restart the series. “

If contact information has changed since a person received their first dose from the Department of Health, notify the COVID-19 call center at 832-393-4220.

“We understand the anxiety about the second dose and we thank everyone for their patience as we continue to work together to achieve the greatest mass vaccination effort ever,” said Stephen L. Williams, director of the Department of Health. “Be sure that if you have been vaccinated by the Houston Department of Health, we will contact you within the appropriate timeframe to schedule your second dose. ”

Even when vaccinated, everyone still needs to take care such as masking, practicing social detachment, washing their hands and getting tested to help stop the spread of COVID-19 as people are vaccinated and we learn more about the immunity produced by vaccines .

“Please encourage your family and community to ‘Take Your Best Shot’ as the vaccine becomes more widely available,” said Williams.

Visit the HoustonEmergency.org/covid19 vaccines page for the latest information on COVID-19 vaccinations through the Houston Department of Health.